Financial Instruments (Detail 5) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018	Jan. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Jan. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Net revenue	$ 7,946	$ 7,764	$ 7,468	$ 7,674	$ 7,660	$ 7,501	$ 6,808	$ 6,902	$ 30,852	$ 28,871	$ 30,280
Cost of products	(7,262)	(7,248)	(7,071)	(7,413)	(7,884)	(7,300)	(6,613)	(6,449)	(28,994)	(28,246)	(26,377)
Gain on divestiture									0	0	2,420
Interest and other, net	(111)	(64)	(78)	(21)	(76)	(87)	(86)	(78)	(274)	(327)	(284)
Earnings from continuing operations before taxes	576	465	(116)	(657)	(301)	125	113	335	268	272	3,860
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations	$ 15	$ (1)	$ (72)	$ (46)	$ 146	$ (120)	$ (134)	$ 16	(104)	(92)	(76)
Net earnings (loss)									1,908	344	3,161
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings
Gains (Losses) Recognized in Income on Derivatives									295	(440)	(429)
Interest rate contracts
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments and related hedged items in a fair value hedging relationship
(Losses) Gains Recognized in Income on Derivative									(211)	(245)	158
(Losses) Gains recognized in Income on Related Hedged Item									211	245	(158)
Foreign currency contracts
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings
Gains (Losses) Recognized in Income on Derivatives									301	(443)	(425)
Other derivatives
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments on the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings
Gains (Losses) Recognized in Income on Derivatives									(6)	3	(4)
Cash flow hedges
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Loss expected to be reclassified from Accumulated OCI into earnings in next 12 months									119
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									169	46	226
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Gains (Losses) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI Into Earnings (Effective Portion) | Reclassifications of losses (gains) into earnings
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Net revenue									(24)	(68)	(48)
Cost of products									0	0	0
Gain on divestiture									0	0	8
Interest and other, net									16	170	243
Earnings from continuing operations before taxes									(8)	102	203
Net (loss) earnings from discontinued operations									0	43	67
Net earnings (loss)									(8)	145	270
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Net revenue
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									163	(113)	(71)
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Cost of products
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									0	(1)	1
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Gain on H3C and MphasiS divestitures
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									0	0	0
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Interest and other, net
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									6	159	236
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Continuing Operations
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									169	45	166
Cash flow hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Discontinued Operations
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									0	1	60
Net investment hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Gains (Losses) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI Into Earnings (Effective Portion) | Reclassifications of losses (gains) into earnings
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Interest and other, net									0	0	0
Net investment hedges | Foreign currency contracts | Interest and other, net
Pre-tax effect of derivative instruments in cash flow and net investment hedging relationships
Gains (Losses) Recognized in OCI on Derivatives (Effective Portion)									$ 81	$ (71)	$ (58)